Windmill wheel



Nov. 30 1926.

F. R. OWENS WINDMILL WHEEL s. shetS-sheet 1 Filed Augusi'J 5 1925 INVENTDR WITNESS:

Nov.` 3o 1926. 1,609,184

F. R. OWENS WINDMILL WHEEL Filed August 5 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 .M11-Nass:

' WITNESS:

Nov. 301, 192e. 1,609,184 V F. R. OWENS` l -WINDMILL.-AwHEEL Filed Au ustI 5, 1925' -3 Sheets-Sheet 3 O l Y /j a u 7 g y', /7

za C 2 H 2% f 1. A- i8 Z; INVENTOR AmRNEY Patented Nov. 30,` 1926.

STATES innivnia.v navieras-on BEAVER enessine, NEBRASKA.

WNDMILL Witsen.

.Appncaen meri Amlia 5, 16251 schal N6. liasse'.

rlhis invention relates to irindmills or u'in'jd meters and iiriprdveinentupn a mill disclosed in my copending kapplication, Serial No.7 651. filed February 7, 1925. The present invention relates particularly to the Wheel str uctureand for an object the provisin of a ivheel eonstiilieted so'that its bladeswhich arenorihally disldsed right angles to its axis-may be swung to a position substantially iparallel With said axis, or to an intermediate pdsitioinso as to stop the operation of the mill or reduce its speed of operation.'

A riother object off the invention is the provision novel means for moving theblades of the Wheel so that they may remain in an active position or in vany adjusted position. With the aboveI and other objeeyts in View, the invention further, includes the following novel features and details of construetion, to be hereinafter nire fullydesribed illus'- trated in the accompanying drawings and pointed outn the appended claims.

In the' draWings:- Figure 1 is an elevationpartly in seetion shovving lthe hea'd of the mill, the ivheel being removed. Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view Withthe Wheel in placa y Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary seetion taken substantially en the line lf-1l of Figure 2, the vieuT being on an enlarged scale.

` Figure 5 is a detail elevation of the Wheel spokes or arms. K`

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top' plan vievv showing the manner of mounting the Wind vane.

Figure 7 isa detail perspective view ofr one of the bladel attaching b ralgets.y

Fig'. 8 is in elevation or the wheel with some of 4the blades rer'noved. v F ig 9: is a rear el'evationof one of the segmental blade sections of the Wheel. Referring to' the drawings in detail Wherein like cha`raeters ofreference denote corre 'sponding parts, the Wheel `yvhiclr is mounted upon thedrivingfshaftl() includes ahub l1 fromV which extend radial arms o1f' spo le s`4 l2, While carried' at the uter endsflof these spokes are plates 13 vvhijch include spaced pairs of ap'ertured earslll'. t

Pivotally mounted between the arms 12 are armate frames i5 and' these frames are provided near their 'opposite ends' with aper# tured lugs 16 ivhh are received between the pairs of ears 14,' so that the frames l5 are mounted for pivotal movement. :Flach of the arcuate frames l5 has secured thereon by means of attaching brackets 17 (Figure 7) i blades 187 the latter being dspsed' at in angle rvith respect to the-frames l5 asis usual in Wirrd Wheels; The Aconstrnotion )ust described provides a ivheel which is formedo'f a number of pivetallv mounted segmental sections,' pivotal moveifient in one direction being limited by stops' 19 mounted upon Vthe vspokes l2.

l\lorm'ally, the segmental sfectio'nsof the Wheel are disposed as illustrated in Figures 2l and 8 of the drafvvings so that thewvheel Will rotate'in thewind, but these segmental s'eetio'vris" are Capable of being swung upward substantially parallel to the axis of the Wheelgas illustrated by the ldotted linesin Figure 2. To' provide for' this each of the fram'esl has extending therefrom an arm 2O which isconnected toa substantially T- shapedlever 2l b v means of a'rod 22. The levers 2l are mounted between spaced' ears 23' which vare carried by bars 24,' the opposite 'ends' of which' are seou'red'to the spokes l2.

The levers 21 have connected thereto the outer ends of springs 25 and the inner ends of these springs are adjustably connected vas shovvn at 26 to a ring or equivalent member 27. The tendency ofthe springs is to hold thfe blades of the Wheel in'an' active position and the tensio'nof thesprin'es may be regulated' by the adjustment at 26.

The remaining arm' feach of the levers' 21 is eonnectedto one end of an arm" 28 and these arms are pivotally mounted as shovv'n 291115011 brackets 30 supported' upon the hub ofthe wheel. Connection; between the outer ends of vthe arms'-28 and the levers 21 isl preferably in-the form of a rod 3l. The inner ends of the arms 2S earry rollers 32vvl'1'ieh bear against an anr'i'ula'in member or plate' 33, the latter being carried upon a collar 34: through which' the shaft l() entends'. This collar is connected by arms 35 with a slide 36 vvhieh is provi'd'edwith' grooves 37, the latter receiving dia'n'iet-rically disposed ribs 38 Whifchn extend longitudinally of a sleeve or housing 39 through' which the shafft l0 also'entends. Theouter end of the ing 4l): around the shaft '1"O`;Y

llO

housing 39'isfp`rovided with' a sifiitable pack- The housing 39 forms the head 40 of the mill and this head is mounted for rotation upon a stationary sleeve 4l suitably supported upon a tower or other support indicated at 42. The head 40 has a swiveled connection with the stationary sleeve 4l as shown at 43 and is supported upon antifriction bearings 44 so as to provide freedom of rotation. A driven shaft 45 extends upward through the sleeve 4l and is geared to the shaft l() as shown at 4G.

rllhe head 40 includes an annular flange 47 which is provided with an arcuate slot 48, while the sleeve 43 is provided with an annular flange 49 having ratchet teeth 50 in its upper face. The teeth 50 extend entirely7 around the upper face of t-he flange 49 and are disposed beneath the slot 48 while pivotally mounted upon the head 40 as indicated at 50 is a dog 5l. This dog,r carries a tooth 52 which is adapted to extend through the slot 48 and engage the teeth 50 and is yieldingly held in such engagement by means of a spring 53 which connects the dog with a bracket arm 54. Connected to the dog is one end of a chain 55 whose opposite end is connected to an arm 56 which extends outward from the arm 57 of a wind vane 58. This vane is mounted for pivotal movement upon a bar 59 whose yopposite ends are mounted in suitable bearings. A brace or guy rod 60 is connected to the vane 58.

It will be thus apparent that when the wind strikes the vane 58 from one direction, the dog 5l will be lifted and disengaged from the teeth 50 so as to permit the head to revolve and adjust the wheel in the path of the wind. The springl 53 will then reengage the dog with the teeth. If the vane 58 is moved in an opposite direction, the tooth of the dog 5l will ride over the teeth 50 until the wheel reaches the proper position.

In order to pivotally adjust the segments or blades of the wheel, the slide 36 has pivotally connected thereto one end of a bar or link 6l whose opposite end is pivota-lly connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 62. This lever is pivotally mounted as shown at 63 and its other arm is connected to one end of a chain G4 which passes over a guide pulley 65. The other end of the chain 64 is connected to one end of a rod 66 whose opposite end is connected to an arm 67 which is carried by a collar 68, the latter being mounted upon the shaft 45 and rotatable upon and movable longitudinally of the shaft. S eled upon the collar 68 is a ring G9 which carries an arm 70 and this arm has connected thereto a rod or cable 7l which extends downward to within convenient reach.

By pulling downward upon the rod or cable 7l, the bell crank lever 62 will be moved pivotally so as to move the sli-de 36 inward. This movement will, through the engagen'ient of the plate 33 with the arms 28, swing the blade segments upwardly upon their pivots proportionate to the amount of downward pull, the rollers 32 at the inner ends of the arms 28 permitting these arms to ride radially inward upon the plate 33. Then the rod or cable 7l is released, the springs 25 will return the blade segments to their normal position and as the wheel rotates, the plate 33 which is carried by the collar 34 will rotate with said wheel due to frictional engagement between the plate and the rollers rlhe invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is zl. In a windmill. a driving shaft, means to support the shaft, a wheel mounted upon the shaft, said wheel including ay plurality of blades, means connecting the blades to separate the wheel into a plurality of segmental sections, means for pivotally mounting the sections, a member movable upon the driving shaft, a slide connected to said member, means to adjust the slide, a threearm lever for each wheel section, means connecting one arm lof said lever to 'its respective section, means associating another arm of said lever and the movable member to adjust the wheel section when the slide is moved, means to move the slide and means connected to the remaining arm of said lever to resist movement.

2. In a windmill wheel, a hub, spokes extending from said hub, plates at the louter ends of the spokes segmental blade carrying sections positioned between the arms and having their adjacent edges pivotally supported upon and connected by the plates, means to yieldingly hold the sections in active position, arms rigid with the sections, a pivotally mounted lever for each section. means connecting the levers and arms of each section, an axially movable slide, means to move the slide and means associating the slide and pivotally mounted levers to move the segmental sections pivotally.

3. A windmill wheel comprising a hub, spokes extending from the hub, plates at thc Iouter ends of said spokes, spaced apertured ears carried by the plates, blade sections positioned between the spokes, each section including a segn'iental frame having concentrically arranged inner andfouter bars, blades secured to the bars, means to pivotally secure the opposite ends of the frame to the opposite edges of the plates and means to adjust the blade sections pivotally.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK n. ownNs. 

